Weinsteins reunite with Miramax after years apart

NEW YORK — Harvey and Bob Weinstein are reuniting with the film company they founded, with plans already in the works to capitalize on their old movie library.

The Weinstein Co. announced Monday that it will produce and distribute films and TV shows based on Miramax's library of hundreds of titles. The Weinsteins plan to develop TV series based on the films "Good Will Hunting" and "Flirting With Disaster," and are exploring sequels or TV shows based on the cult comedy "Swingers" and the Oscar-winning "Shakespeare in Love."

The Weinsteins founded Miramax in 1979, naming it after their parents, Max and Miriam. They built it into one of the most successful independents in the movie business, churning out many of the hits of 1990s independent cinema ("Pulp Fiction") and a number of award winners ("Chicago").

Miramax was acquired by the Walt Disney Co. in 1993. The Weinsteins left in 2005 to form the Weinstein Co. Miramax is currently run by a group of owners, including private equity firm Colony Capital, whose chief executive Thomas J. Barrack Jr. joined the Weinsteins in announcing the agreement.

The Weinsteins have long sought to regain control of the Miramax library that made them famous.

"To have the Miramax banner fly once again is a dream come true for all of us," the brothers said in a statement.

The Weinstein Co. and Miramax will remain separate companies, with the production and development deal covering the next 20 years.

But for the Weinsteins, it counts as a family reunion. Even their mother, Miriam, was quoted in the announcement Monday thanking those involved "for bringing Miramax actively back into my life."